The 'Phoenix' Sculpture Turns Construction Waste into a Bird

Using 12 tons of discarded construction site debris, Chinese artist Xu Bing created an installation called 'Phoenix.' Xu shaped unused material into a majestic and intricate metal bird. Phoenix is composed of various materials such as chains, steel beams, pipes and hard hats. Even with the hodgepodge of materials, the sculpture still manages to look unified and cohesive.

Xu chose to create a phoenix from the remnants of construction sites because of the symbolism. Just like an actual phoenix, Xu's installation rises from discarded material to form something magnificent. The resulting sculpture is something akin to China's rapid development. According to the artist, "the mythic Phoenixes bear witness to the complex interconnection between labor, history, commercial development, and the rapid accumulation of wealth in today’s China."